The Man Without Qualities (here) believes that former Vermont Governor Howard Dean is likely to be a lot more formidable contestant for the Democratic Presidential nomination than the mainstream media has been allowing.

One pleasure of every Presidential election season is that there is always a surprise. This year's biggest so far is Howard Dean, the former Vermont Governor who has become the most consequential Democrat challenging President Bush.

The MoveOn results, which have been well covered in the press, may influence as well as predict the Democrat race. Dr. Dean's victory may boost his campaign, which has been riding high of late thanks to his unashamedly liberal, antiwar message, which resonates with the party's base.

Former Vermont governor Howard Dean (D) announced yesterday that he has raised more than $6 million in the second quarter of this year, an achievement many of his competitors privately conceded will add new credibility to his insurgent bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.

In an e-mail to supporters, Dean said that over the past eight days -- during which he formally announced his candidacy, appeared on "Meet the Press" and came in first in an online straw poll conducted by MoveOn.org -- his fundraising surged with $2.8 million in donations.

In the first quarter of 2003, Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) led the fundraising race with $7.4 million, but Edwards aides say he will raise substantially less when reports are filed on donations through the end of June. Those reports are due at the Federal Election Commission by July 15.